Mike Tindall’s latest money-making scheme! Zara’s husband reveals tour
Mike Tindall has announced that he will embark on a two-month tour with his rugby podcast later this year.
The husband of the monarch’s niece Zara and former rugby international, 44, appears to have stepped up work in recent months, appearing on I’m A Celebrity and a range of ad campaigns including Domino’s and Amazon.
And yesterday the former England captain announced his podcast The Good, The Bad and The Rugby is set to tour the UK and announce 17 show dates.
It is currently unknown what the price of the tickets will be. Fans can register for pre-purchase access on Friday.
Mike has previously admitted that he’s “always worried about money”. He and his wife Zara, 41, both have long lists of brand ambassadors with the likes of Musto, Rolex and Land Rover, who are estimated to bring in over £1million a year, but many are linked to sport and horse riding.
The 17-date tour begins in late October and runs through November and December.
According to an online description, Mike will take the stage with fellow podcast members James Haskell and Alex Payne and will “share their own World Cup stories and recap the action from France 2023… in their own unique style.”
While it’s unknown if the former rugby ace will share any royal anecdotes on stage, he has revealed a number of stories during his time on I’m A Celebrity…
The new tour comes after a busy year for Mike, who is believed to have raised £600,000 from his Amazon and Domino ads and his appearance on I’m A Celebrity.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams previously said Charles would “keep an eye on” Mike, adding: “King Charles needs to consider where to draw the line today…Mike and Zara never worked for the royals.
However, his endorsement of a pizza brand and his stint in the jungle beg the question: is anything taboo and should it be? Of course they have to earn, but are there limits, eh?’
He said: “The field of royals and celebrities and their involvement in unusual ventures has an unfortunate history.
“Anyone who remembers It’s A Royal Knockout cringes inside. It was terrible tripe! Princess Anne’s son Peter Phillips and his ex-wife Autumn Kelly were reportedly paid £500,000 for a wedding deal in Hello! This showed the royal family in a totally unacceptable way.
“King Charles will no doubt be keeping a close eye on Mike Tindall’s latest plans, including his mischievous promotion for Domino’s Pizza and his appearance, likely to be widely viewed, in I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
“Both Mike Tindall and his wife Zara, who is 20th in line to the throne, are extremely popular. Her contributions to rugby and equestrian sports are well known.
“However, are they royals or celebrities or both somehow? You are a high performer, we know that. King Charles must consider where the line can be drawn today.”
Meanwhile, branding expert Nick Ede said: “This type of advertising deal will see Mike Tindall earn around £300,000 for Domino’s advertising. For the Amazon, where he doesn’t play that much, around £150,000.
“He’s maximizing his appeal and the fact that rugby matches are coming up and all the media around the royal family and I’m a celebrity.
“It’s a winning move for him and his appeal.”
Mike has previously been dubbed the royal family’s “secret weapon” and the “cool, funny uncle” after impressing fans during the platinum anniversary celebrations, where he dutifully accompanied his wife to several events over the four-day weekend.
The father-of-three entertained a wayward Prince Louis, four, during the platinum competition in June and appeared in typically cheerful spirits during the celebrations, where he was on hand to help with all the royal children.
Mike, his wife, their children, Mia, 8, Lena, 4, and Lucas, 1, and Princess Anne are often spotted enjoying family days together when enthusiastic horsewoman Zara performs at a horse show.
The former rugby star and Zara, who were first introduced at the 2003 World Cup, enjoy a ‘normal’ life – at least in royal circles – living in relative privacy with their daughters and son.
However, they still benefit from lucrative contacts that they may have obtained, at least in part, thanks to their positions within the Royal family.
The Tindalls, who live in Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire, Princess Anne’s royal estate, also dedicate a lot of time to charity and have address books full of prominent names.
He admitted last year that he “always worries about money” for bills and school fees – after his income dried up during the pandemic and the role of brand ambassador “won’t last forever”.
Speaking to The Times, he said that despite being a member of the Royal Family and living on the Princess Royal’s sprawling Gatcombe Estate, where it is not clear if the couple pays rent on their cottage, he is always worried about his financial situation .
Zara’s mother Princess Anne turned down the Queen’s offer to give her children honorary royal titles at birth, leaving them to pursue their own careers.
“You have to plan, and now there’s a third in the pipeline and what’s in store for you in terms of school bills and fees to be paid,” Mike said.
Most of his income now comes from brand ambassadorships, sponsorships and after-dinner speeches. As a result, his income has been impacted during the pandemic as many hospitality events have been cancelled.
“I’ve been very fortunate to have had a couple of ambassador roles, so you know money is coming in, but sponsorships won’t last forever,” he said.
He said at the time that being part of The Firm – as the royal family is known – is “something you get used to” but having to make a living, adding: “It has its ups and downs – and disadvantages.
“You think about what you’re doing and you have to be aware of that, but it doesn’t necessarily dictate it. Zara and I have always been good at dealing with what’s right for us.”